hoffman



(No Model.) v

R. J. HOFFMAN. LUBRIGATING CUP,

Pateted-Nov. 8, 1881'.

WILGS S165- @7dag w r. wnsmngmn n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

vROSS J. HOFFMAN, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO OLARKSON A. SPENCER, OF SAME PLAGE.

LUBRICATING-CUP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 4Patent No. 249,179, dated November `8, 1881.

Application filedJnly 2B, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ross J. HOFFMAN, of Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricating-Oups, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of lubricating-cups by which the oil is injected into the steam pipe and cylinder under the pressure of steam; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to obviate the use of the ordinary hydrostatic pressure for that purpose by substituting the direct action of steam on the surface of the oil in the cup, thereby rendering the device less liable to derangement and more reliable in use; second, to provide a condensing or cooling device by which the temperature of the steam maybe controlled or varied to anyrequired degree. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l is a vertical section of a part of the cup and condensing-chamber. Fig. 2 is an elevation, giving an end view of the base of the condensing-chamber. Fig. 3 is a top view of the device.

Ais the oil-cup, the body of which is a glass cylinder armed with brass heads in the usual manner, the lower head having a faucet, ,for drawing off the water remaining in the cup, when required. In the upper head `there is an opening'for the admission of oil, which opening is closed by a screw and knob, b.

B is the condensing-chamber, which is left open at the top for the reception of water..

This chamber is secured to the upper head of the cup, and its base C extends from the cup A for the purpose of attaching it to the steampipe D, as shown by Fig. l in the drawings. Two passage-ways are made in the base O,for the entrance of steam and discharge of oil. The steam-passage c passes under the chamber B, where itchanges its direction, passing upward and over the projection d, thence down into the oil-cup A, thereby reducing the temperatureby its close proximity to the water in its passage to the oil-cup. -The oil-passage connects with a short tube, f, in the cup. The end E of the steam-passage c is made in the form of a funnel, and so placed in the steam- 5o pipe D as to receive the current of steam as it passes into the cylinder. This insures an effective and direct action of the steam on the oil in the cup. The knobs g and h operate the faucetst' i in the steam and oil passage-ways c 55 and c.

In use the faucets t' i are opened; The cup A is then filled with oil, andsecured by turning down the knob b. The condensing-chamber B is filled with water. The steam is then applied 6o to the engine. The faucets are then adjusted for the required admission of steam into the cup and discharge of oil. As the oil diminishes in the cup A, its place is supplied by way ter from the steam, which retains the surface of oil in the same position until entirely discharged from the cup. The water is the-n drawn olf and the oil replaced.

I am aware that various devices are now in use for thel accomplishment of the purpose set 7o forth in the foregoing specification, some of which are operated by hydrostatic tubes, and others by the introduction of steam into an elevated chamber or reservoir of water, the steam and water passing through pipes and -7 5 cylinders, thence into the oil-cup.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the oil-cupA, the coup- 8o ling-base G, having steam and oil passages through it, the former provided with a daring mouth, E, and the water-chamber B, whereby the oil is injected into the steam pipe and cylinder by steam whose pressure has been par- 8 5 tially reduced `in passing in contact with the water-chamber, and which condenses sufficient water to supply the space caused by the discharge of oil, as shown and described, for the purpose set forth.

ROSS J. HOFFMAN.

Witnesses:

J. C. Ronin, J AMES ELDREDGE. 

